News

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Oxnard, Calif.- based Catalytic Solutions, Inc., $16,970 for failing to submit toxic chemical reports detailing the amount of nitrates it released, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

"This penalty against Catalytic Solutions, Inc., demonstrates that we closely watch over chemical reporting practices and are serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws," said Enrique Manzanilla, Communities and Ecosystems Division director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Because exposure to high levels of nitrates causes a wide range of illnesses and environmental damage, communities need to know when these chemicals have been released."

According to the EPA, Catalytic Solutions Inc. processed over 55,000 pounds of nitrate compounds in 2005, and over 65,000 pounds in 2006. However, as required by federal emergency planning and right-to-know laws, Catalytic Solutions Inc. failed to submit reports to the EPA listing the amount of these processed chemicals released to the environment. EPA became aware of these violations when Catalytic Solutions, Inc., self-reported its failure to file a report for 2005.

Each year the EPA compiles the information submitted to it from the previous year regarding toxic chemical releases, producing a national Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database for public availability. The TRI database estimates the amount of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management.